B&Bs; I don't get it
 

OK, just returned from New Hope, PA spending several excrutiating nights in various Bed & Breakfasts - giving it one more shot.<BR><BR>Why do people stay at these places? <BR><BR>My take:<BR>Old furnishings (with assorted junk thrown in)<BR>Squeaky floors<BR>Squeaky bed (I can't believe anyone would have sex at a B&B!)<BR>Musty odors<BR>Inadequate bathroom facilities (don't get me started on shared bathrooms)<BR>Lousy heating/cooling in the winter/summer<BR><BR>I'll never stay in another B&B as long as I live (if I can help it).

But wait, you forgot some:<BR><BR>Owner has a cat/dog/cat & dog/multiple cats & dogs. Doesn't bother to advertise this just in case someone is allergic.<BR><BR>Cleaning of rooms appears to have been done in haste by owner instead of cleaning service (trying to save a few bucks at guests expense).<BR><BR>No one around to help get your bags up 3 flights of rickety stairs.<BR><BR>Inadequate lighting (again, trying to save a few bucks)<BR><BR>The same identical breakfast every single day.<BR><BR>Give me the boutique hotels any day of the week.

This has been done before and it was a tired thread then.<BR><BR>If you don't like them, don't stay at them. I happen to love B&Bs. We really don't need the debate, however.

Don't give up on B&Bs from this 1 experience. The quality of B&Bs varies greatly and staying at a nice one can be really fun. <BR><BR>I've stayed at 3 B&Bs and had different experiences each time. I always get a private bath because I don't think there is anything nice about sharing facilities. <BR><BR>The 1st B&B was pretty good. Nice people, comfy bed, very clean, great breakfast, lots of character to the house. <BR><BR>The 2nd was great and I will definitely stay there again. I slept in the most comfortable bed I have ever been in, and it didn't squeek at all. The room was decorated with nice furniture - antiques or reproductions, no junk. The house had a couple common rooms which were very nice and comfortable and the breakfast was incredible. The house also had a really nice garden and was right on a creek. Beautiful. <BR><BR>The 3rd place was an ok place to stay, but it had the squeeky beds, squeeky floors, and old furniture. It had a great location which made up for the B&B itself. <BR><BR><BR><BR>

What's in New Hope, PA.? Perhaps if you stayed someplace where they were common such as Key West, Cape May, Nantucket, Wine Country, etc. your experience would be different. I'm not sure the lodging was your problem...

Bill,<BR><BR>I'm glad to findout that I'm not the only one who doesn't like B&B's. The B& B you described is just like the one we stayed in at Mammoth Lakes, CA. You did leave out bed as hard as the floor.<BR><BR>Give me my motorhome!<BR><BR>Utahtea

What's wrong with debate?<BR>My take: Either Bill has a terrible propensity for finding the worst b&bs, or he is simply "not a bed and breakfast person". Nothing wrong with that.<BR>Why do people stay at bandbs? GOOD ones provide:<BR>Unique accommodations<BR>The opportunity to meet new people<BR>Personalized information about the area you're visiting<BR>delicious breakfasts<BR>cozy rooms with ambiance<BR><BR>

I would rather be slowly tortured than stay at a B&B. I like service, peace and quiet. PRIVACY. I like to eat what, where and when I please. And prefer not to engage in boring conversation with people I'm stuck with at the table. JMHO.

We stayed at a beautiful B&B in Prince Edward Island. The hosts were so nice. We had our own entryway. Two queen beds in a gorgeous room. Down pillows and comforters. A lovely music system. Italian decorations. A sweet dog my daughter fell in love with. Gourmet breakfasts, Nova Scotia fresh salmon, eggs benedict, omelets, fresh herbs, lemon poppy muffins, lots of privacy, fabulous bathroom. Wine, coffees, specialty teas in the room all the time. The kids count that as one of the best experiences of our trip. Try again. There are some good ones out there. Beats a hotel any day.

Come on guys ....... this has been done to death.

A couple of opinions to add:<BR>There can be a world of difference between B&Bs (can be 1 or 2 rooms or 20) that only serve breakfast and Inns which often are a little larger (10+ rooms would be more typical) and serve other meals, usually dinner, usually open to outside patrons. Laws and guidelines (re: food preparation, fire safety, etc) are different depending on the exact kind of establishment. So while B&B doesn't necessarily mean bad, there are fewer requiremsnts and inspections of these kinds of properties. Of course, that is an oversimplification, but I've often found that Inns in general are of a higher quality all around than B&Bs while giving you the same more personalized than a hotel service and feel.<BR><BR>Also, maybe more so with a B&B than with hotels, you get what you pay for. Many hotels, even small ones and motels, are parts of chains and have some standards of service to comply with. Even a Motel 6 has a specific reputation to live up to and a corporate office that doesn't want negative publicity. B&BS are generally independent. You're more likely to have a satisfactory resolution with a hotel regarding bad food, lumpy beds, etc. than with a B&B.<BR><BR>Having said all that, I've found that higher priced inns and larger B&Bs have some of the most magnificent accomodations , settings, and service around. I don't always think that the really highest prices($300+) are justified (and have been known to go the "impersonal hotel" route many times, happily) but I have never seen a truly awful expensive B&B or Inn. All a place like that needs is a few bad words of mouth to completely ruin the business, so it is in the owner/managers best interests to resolve any problem brought to their attention. <BR>The key to choosing a place to stay is really doing some research. While you may not always pick up new or tiny gems this way, I've found that when you're researching an area, the same few names of places keep coming up, in different books, magazines, websites, etc as good quality. When I've really checked places out I've never been disappointed <BR><BR>

maybe - you make an excellent point. I have been unhappy at several B & B's. Just couldn't put my finger on why. I am going to give Inns a shot on the next trip. Thank you.

I think it's just plain silly to lump all B&Bs together just as it would be asinine to say "I hate hotels!" C'mon, people. There are good and bad hotels, B&Bs, airlines, car rental firms, etc etc etc.<BR><BR>Give this thread a break. Besides, as has been mentioned, it's been done.

Someone else voiced a similar complaint about B&Bs on another thread, and judging from the stories, most people seemed to agree that B&Bs are not for them. Anyone remember the name of that old thread?

The key to me is lack of privacy - both from owners and other guests. I am not antisocial and actually enjoy meeting new people - but I just don't want to be forced to do it, and also do not want to find myself in a situation from which I can not gracefully disengage myself from people where there is just not a match of personalities.<BR><BR>When we travel, it is the only real chance we get to be together as a couple or family, and for us B&Bs just don't fill that need. However, I did stay at a lovely inn in New Hampshire with my mother some years ago for a long weekend which included cooking lessons and thoroughly enjoyed it.

So what is in New Hope you ask?? SA Europe. New Hope is a quaint town in Beautiful Bucks County Pa. It is a popular place to visit with locals. The little town is always crowded and it has a local theater with plays. Many nice eateries whether casual or extravagant. I like New Hope for a Sunday ride on the motorcycle with my husband. For B & B's in New Hope I am not familiar with any as I live in Pa. Sorry Bill you got a bad B & B.

"I am not sure lodging was your problem...: <BR>C'Mon SA, Do you have to insult this poster?<BR>You pro B+B freak, it is people like you who are the reason why many of us hate B+B's. And what does the zip code have to do with B+B's. Do you think that Nantucket and Key West do not have hideous b+b's? I can vouch that they do.<BR><BR>But the old furnishings are "antiques".<BR>The squeaky floors are "charming"<BR>The accomodations are "rustic"<BR>The lack of privacy is "friendly".<BR><BR>I agree with the poster a B+B stay is excruciating. <BR><BR><BR>

B&B's are not your cup of tea if: 1)You are NOT a morning person, 2)You don't want to sit with strangers eating breakfast at a specific time, 3)You have diet restrictions although a percentage of B&B's will try to accomodate your needs if planned ahead. 4)Sharing a bathroom, though you need to research ahead to find a B&B with private baths, which most do. 5)Lack of privacy. I find you CAN have privacy if you pre-plan a little after you arrive there. The wife & I have never had a bad experience with B&B's. It does take a lot more planning to try & pick a decent B&B than a hotel/motel.

Yes exaclty the point. Why bash New Hope? It has nothing to do with New Hope. Bill chose New Hope. It is an old historical town. Enough said. If Bill doesn't like the B&B atmosphere, to begin with then why go, come back here and post all the negatives about B&B's. Bill would still complain if he were in any location simply because he doesn't like B&B's, and that is the only issue. Not New Hope. How ridiculous!

Anyone who says "B&Bs bite the big one" or "I'll never stay in a B&B" is someone of a child mentally. A bad experience (or two or ten out of thousands of inns) can't cloud your judgement forever. my first B&B experience was in Amsterdam and was dreadful. Since, I've LOVED B&Bs in New Orleans, Key West, Dallas (yes, Dallas) and New York state.

My husband and I broke the bed at a B&B in NY. How embarassing! I have stayed at some nice ones, but I agree, no sex allowed!

For some reason, I never feel like I am on vacation when I have stayed at a B&B. Not that I dont like them, but they dont seem to have the privacy I like away from home.

ttt for the B&amp;B poster

I topped this thread for the B&amp;B poster on another thread, as I think it contains some fairly balanced opinions from both sides.

Personally, I'm one of those who can't stand B&amp;Bs. We've tried them in the U.S. and Britain and have never had a good experience. Most were actually someone's home, complete with the dilapidated furnishings, while a couple of them were very posh, but had very obtrusive and controlling owners who actually monitored us to ensure that we didn't damage their pricey, renovated interiors, I suppose.

During road trips we also like to travel with a small cooler, and boy, did we get the evil eye and exchange of owner glances when we brought it in along with our luggage! I don't need to be monitored or &quot;catered&quot; to during my vacation, I just need peace, quiet and privacy, which I've personally never found at a B&amp;B.

Makes me want to stay at a hotel when we go to Maine this summer. Can't be that bad.

Another reason for staying at bed and breakfasts is affordability. I simply can't afford the high price of staying at a decent hotel, and have no patience for researching bids on Priceline. But I think that it's rather fun to research bed and breakfasts on the internet, and, for under $100 {often way under}, my husband and I have stayed at some wonderful places.

We have also stayed at a few places that we would not go to again because of paper thin walls, grouchy owners, etc., but the vast majority have been a good experience.

Bill, I suggest that either you had some unlucky bad experiences at bed and breakfasts, or you are simply not a bed and breakfast person. Why torture yourself; if you continue to dislike them, stay at hotels. Choice of accommodation is an individual preference; choosing one over the other is not indicitive of a character flaw!

For the hardcore anti-B&amp;B'ers: fine, Don't stay there. Sometimes you want the feel of a &quot;real&quot; hotel to feel like you are on vacation.

But for those still pondering the trade-offs, consider what you do and don't like about B&amp;B's then do a little homework before you book, as &quot;maybe&quot; suggested 2 yrs. ago. More often than you'd think, you get what you pay for. If it's on the cheap, it'll be on the cheap in many cases. But there are other considerations, too.

Size matters. If there are only a couple of rooms, you'll feel less private and more at the mercy of the owner's tastes and whims. If you get up to 8 or 10 rooms, you can expect a bit more professionalism (including a maid, perhaps), and much more than that really constitutes a boutique hotel. Similarly, the more rooms, the more likely you are to have a sense of privacy and avoid sharing a bath if you don't want to share.

I've had good and bad experiences and generally avoid the cheap places that only have a handful of rooms. I'm more likely to stay at a B&amp;B when I'm on a trip designed to acquaint me with an unfamiliar city or region or culture, just for the experience of meeting an Actual Person and having a breakfast that wasn't designed to please business travelers. I'm less likely to stay at a B&amp;B in familiar places when I have business or a particular reason (art exhibit) and do not want to take the time for a little immersion. Even then, I'll still be careful about reading CLOSELY the description of the place.

&quot;Quaint, homey...&quot; is a red flag. &quot;Rustic&quot; is an automatic no-go. &quot;Away from the hustle and bustle of.....&quot; can mean you need a dogsled to get back to the city. &quot;Friendly management&quot; can mean busy-bodies. And so on. I'm sure there's a long funny list of these signals somewhere, but you can certainly add your own.

There are times when I just can't face one more chain hotel/motel with the same unnatural-fabric shiny stiff bedcovering, the same brown plastic ice bucket, the same dim penny-pinching fluorescent light bulbs in the lamps, the same disinfected-raspberry bathroom deodorant smell, the same cue-ball hard muffins on the breakfast buffet, the same swivel-TV cabinet, and the same funky chlorinated green pool full of shrieking kids at 11 pm.

Sometimes, staying in an odd-shaped room that doesn't look like any other in the same building, let alone in other hotels, going to sleep between fresh, cotton sheets under a hand-made quilt, having breakfast on a porch overlooking a garden and eating someone's newest omelet-inspiration and fresh rolls is a true vacation from same-old same-old.

I differentiate between inns - which are larger and professionally (at least to some extent) run and B&amp;Bs. Have stayed in the latter only once and would not do it again. The owners were way too intrusive and wanted us to follow their rules - i breakfast when I like - within reason - and to say it has to be by 8am is IMHO ridiculous. And what I plan to do that day is my business and not anyone else's - especially people who IMO have some very odd POVs about local attactions. (Yes, I was roped into this by a girlfriend against my better judgement. I have stayed in gasthouses and pensions in euope that I loved and thought this might be similar - it was not. Too tacky and too intrusive.) I would do an inn (if large and seemed to be run properly) - but a B&amp;B will never see me again.

Mabe it matters that I'm a New Yorker and used to privacy and some decent reticence in those around me. (In college I went home with a friend one weekend. She lived in a small town - and everyone in the town knew who I was before I arrived. It was really creepy - like being in a Stepford wives movie. I can't believe that so many people have such empty lives that they're interested in someone they've never met - and the roommate of the child of a neighbor to boot! How do people that live in small towns put up with this?)

I just love(?) swinging generalities. We have stayed in wonderful B&amp;B's - the Arundel outside of Victoria,BC and ghastly ones (f'r instance in Straford-upon-Avon that we couldn't get out of fast enough. We were afraid to eat there!!) as well as many in between.

We have also stayed in chain hotels that were great and also horrible. :-B